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IPS installs new parts system at Riwal UK

IPS has supplied Riwal UK with a new parts management system for its locations in Wellingborough, Wigan, Bracknell, and St Mary Platt in Kent.

After listening to Riwal’s requirements IPS developed a system of ‘speed trolleys’, which take the parts likely to be required for a machine service or repair directly to the machine repair bay. The trolleys are one part of a programme that includes a consignment parts inventory, parts management system and regular visits from IPS mobile parts vans to restock and fine tune the locally held inventory.

Steve Skeates, national operations manager for Riwal UK, said: “A core element of the Riwal Way is continuous improvement and line management that minimises waste, including wasted human resource. One of the biggest costs to any access rental business is its parts and service operation. For example, the trolley for the engineers looking after all electric access platforms contains 45 bins of fast moving parts, all now located within a metre of the machine. Prior to this engineers were walking 50 to 60 metres each time they needed to get a part. That is a huge amount of wasted time for these specialists – you can imagine over the weeks, months and years how these trolleys will deliver enormous savings for us. They will pay for themselves many, many times over.”

“We QR coded the bins so that our engineers can use an app to monitor parts usage. That gives us excellent insight into the consumption rates of parts. So if one bin isn’t actually being used as much as we expected, we can swap it out for another fast moving part.”

The new IPS 'Speed Trolleys' with parts likely to be required for a particular machine service or repair.
IPS worked closely with Riwal UK, including Craig Barrow, national technical manager, and Sam Reading, parts and warranty administrator. They installed the parts management system in all four depots over a six week period.

Skeates added: “I have dealt with IPS in the past, so I was fully aware of what they can offer and what they deliver. IPS came in and did the entire installation very smoothly and within our agreed time frame. The fantastic thing that IPS offers is availability of products. We can still procure all the branded products that we need, at highly competitive rates. By working with Sam and Craig IPS was able to create a system which enhances our Kanban with real time visibility of stock levels and a procurement pipeline.”

IPS director Kevin Shadbolt said: “We have built up a hard won reputation as experts in parts management systems over the past decade. Riwal is a truly forward-thinking company, which challenged us, but we are truly proud of the system we delivered. It will further enhance productivity for Riwal’s engineers and the company’s superb levels of customer service.”